


A Promise

by creampuffqueen



Series: Future Family Fics [13]
Category: Lunar Chronicles - Marissa Meyer
Genre: Comfort, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Kids, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:53:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23188795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/creampuffqueen/pseuds/creampuffqueen
Summary: A request from Tumblr, "Hey I've been having a tough time lately and I was wondering if you could maybe do a fic, where Kai and Cinders daughter feels like a failure as a princess and daughter and she needs encouragment."
Relationships: Kai/Linh Cinder
Series: Future Family Fics [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1538509
Comments: 4
Kudos: 26





	A Promise

**Author's Note:**

> Read this on Tumblr @creampuffqueen

“Peony, are you excited for the Peace Ball in a few weeks?” Cinder asked, brushing out the princess’s hair with long, soothing strokes. “I know Iko is excited to help you design your dress.”

“Yeah, I guess.” Her daughter said with a shrug. She sat in front of the large mirror on her vanity, toying absentmindedly with the silk hem of her nightgown.

“Your aunt and uncle will be coming.” Cinder offered. “I know you’ve been missing your cousins.”

Peony hummed noncommittally, another shrug falling from her shoulders.

Cinder pulled the hairbrush through her daughter’s hair one more time, then put it down and began to braid it. She never thought she’d be good with hair; she always had Iko do hers, but she’d learned how to do a pretty good braid, if she said so herself. 

Threading strands of Peony’s thick, dark hair, Cinder hummed a song quietly, letting herself fall into her usual rhythm. She tied the braid off, and finished with a kiss to her daughter’s cheek. Peony didn’t even squirm away, like she often did.

“You’re very quiet tonight.” She said softly.

“I’m tired.” Peony protested. “I just want to go to bed.”

Cinder stood up, and pulled her ten-year-old daughter into a quick hug. Peony relaxed into it for a moment, before pushing away and then hopping into bed. Cinder fluffed her pillows and tucked her in, trying not to feel too worried over her abruptness. 

“I’ll send Dad in to say goodnight.” She promised. Peony huddled further down into the bed and nodded absently. Cinder walked out of the room and then down the hall, letting herself in quietly.

Kai was relaxing on the bed, reading glasses and all. He was in sweatpants and a t-shirt, reading a second-era book. Cinder drifted over and planted a quick kiss on his cheek.

“Your daughter needs you to come and say goodnight.”

“Alright.” Kai marked his page and stood up, returning the kiss before he left. Content, Cinder started moving around the suite to get herself ready for bed.

When Kai returned a few minutes later, she was taking her hair down, running her fingers through the mousy locks. She turned to her husband, only to find him with a concerned look on his face.

“What’s wrong?” She asked.

“I’m worried about Peony.” He responded. “She seemed worried about something.”

“I noticed that too. I asked her, but she said she’s just tired.”

Kai sighed. “Maybe. If she’s still looking down in the morning I’ll ask her what’s really up. Or maybe I’ll ask Torin to do it; she tells him everything.”

Cinder crawled into bed, patting the mattress so Kai would sit. “She’s getting older, Kai. She’s not going to be the bubbly little toddler anymore.”

“I know, but it doesn’t make it any less difficult.” He muttered. Deciding against opening the book again, Kai took off his glasses and relaxed into bed beside his wife.

“Lights off.” Cinder whispered. The lights flicked off, one by one, sending the suite into darkness.

She rolled over, so she and Kai were facing each other. She kissed him one last time before closing her eyes for sleep.

And then woke up to the sound of crying.

Cinder fumbled around a moment, her head feeling fuzzy and confused. She felt Kai wake beside her, and they both struggled out from under the heavy comforter.

“Bedside lights on.” She managed, still blinking away sleep. The two lamps on the nightstands flicked on, revealing who the crying was coming from.

Peony.

Their daughter stood in the doorway, arms held around herself, tears snaking their way down her rounded face. Her hair, which had been braided, had come undone and was frizzing up.

“Oh, sweetheart.” Cinder murmured, hopping off the bed and hurrying to her little princess. “Sweetheart, what happened?”

“I had a bad dream.” She whimpered, sniffling. “Can I sleep in your bed?”

Cinder pulled her close as she led her to the bed, where Kai was waiting for them anxiously. Peony crawled under the covers and snuggled close, still sniffing. 

“What was your dream about?” Kai asked softly, stroking a hand soothingly through her messy hair. Peony was silent for a moment, and Cinder wondered if she wanted to talk about it at all.

“I was dreaming that I was at the Peace Ball.” She started quietly. “And I had a whole speech prepared for everyone, and I was so excited. All my friends were there.”

It was hard to tell in the dim lighting, but Cinder could have sworn she saw the tips of her ears starting to turn pink.

“But when I opened my mouth to speak… no words came out. I could see myself on the reporters’ screens, and I looked like one of Dad’s koi fish, just gaping at everyone.”

“I’m so sorry.” Kai said. “But it was just a dream, and I know that if you do a speech at the Peace Ball it will be amazing.”

Peony broke into another sob. “But what if it’s not?! What if I forget what I’m going to say, or I mispronounce a word, or I say something stupid or offensive or-”

“You don’t have to make a speech if you don’t want to.” Cinder assured her. “You don’t even have to attend the ball if you don’t want to.”

“But I do want to.” Peony sighed. “I’m just so scared, I don’t want to do anything wrong.”

“We can help you write something. Or Iko or Torin can. We could even hire you a speechwriter if that’s what you want.” Cinder whispered. “We’ll do anything to help you.”

“But I want to be like Dad.” Peony cried. “When he was my age he was so good at public speaking and, and he was a natural and I just want to be like he was-”

She started sobbing harder, shoulders shaking with the force of it. Cinder’s mind fumbled desperately for a way to help her. But then Kai beat her to it.

“Peony.” He murmured. “I would never expect you to be like me. You’re only ten, I didn’t even start making speeches till I was like twelve. And you’ve done this before, you’ve been making amazing speeches since you were little.”

“But in my dream,” She protested, wiping at her eyes, “When I couldn’t speak everyone started to laugh at me. And Iko and Grandpa Torin were laughing, and all my friends were laughing, and…”

Peony’s lip trembled again. “And then you two started laughing.”

Cinder squeezed her daughter tighter, wishing she could take away everything that was causing her this pain.

“I thought you were disappointed in me. And so was the entire Commonwealth.” Peony was shaking from trying to hold in her tears.

“It was just a nightmare, sweetheart.” Kai whispered. “And it could never be real.”

“But I might forget my lines or-”

“No.” He said with emphasis. “Peony, your dream could never be real because there is not a single universe, alternate or real, where your mother and I could be disappointed in you.”

“We may be upset.” Cinder added. “But I can promise, my amazing little princess, that we will never, ever, be disappointed in you.”

Peony sniffed. “Even if I mess up my whole speech and embarrass myself in front of the entire Commonwealth?”

“Even then.”


End file.
